Compound steam-engine



4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

. (No ModeL) R. M. BECK. COMPOUND STEAM ENGINE.

Patented Feb, 25

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

R. BECK. COMPOUND STEAM ENGINE Patented Feb. 25, 1890.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. R. M. BECK. COMPOUND STEAM ENGINE.

Patented Feb. 25, 1890.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

R. M. BECK. GOMPOUND STEAM ENGINE.-

No. 422,111. Patented Feb. 25, 1890.

j /enior:

z ziea N. FUSES. PhaXo-Mhogmphor. Washington, a. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT M. BECK, OF OIIAMBERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

COMPOUND STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 422,111, dated February25, 1890.

Application filed August 27, 1889. Sen'al No. 322,119. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT M. BECK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chambersburg, in the county of Franklin and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCompound Steam-Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to an improvement in compound steam-engines, theobject thereof being to complete and perfect the construction of enginesof this class.

It consists, essentially, of two cylindersa high-pressure and alow-pressu replaced side by side and their valves and valve-operatingmechanism, said valves being operated independently of each other; also,it embraces a steam space or chamber between the two valve-chambers,which space subserves very useful purposes, as will be fully explained;and, further, the invention comprises certain details in theconstruction, arrangement, and combination of parts, substantially aswill be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is asectional side elevation of my improved compound steanr engine. Fig. 2is a sectional plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a cross-section. Fig. 4is a horizontal section of the two valves, showing the interiorconstruction of their chambers and the arrangement of the valves thereinand indicating the course of the steam. Fig. 5 is an end view of the twocylinders and the two valve-oha1nbers beneath the cylinders. Fig. 6 is atransverse section of the same. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section of oneof the valves, showing the packing-rings. Fig. 8 is a detail view of oneof the packing-rings.

Like letters of reference designate similar parts throughout thedifferent figures of the drawings.

The frame of my improved engine may be I constructed after any suitablepattern to permitthe convenient and satisfactory arrangement therewithof the mechanical parts. A denotes the base of one example of this frameas depicted in the drawings; B, the upright longitudinal portion; B, therear part concylinder D contains a piston D, having a piston-rod D Thehigh-pressure cylinder contains a piston E, having a piston-rod E Theends of the piston-rods are connected to a single cross-head F, which isconnected by the connecting-rod Gr with the crank-disk J 011 theengine-shaft II, which is journaled or supported in suitable bearings inthe main frame. The engine'shaft II carries the drive pulley I. 011 saidshaft is the engine-governor K, preferably of the kind shown in myprevious patent, No. 359,006, of March 8,1887, consisting of the wheelkeyed to the shaft and carrying weighted levers pivoted within thewheel-rim, said levers being connected by links to the arms of avibrating sleeve mounted on the hub of the governor-wheel and connectedwith a shifting eccentric L, having an arm pi voted to said wheel, towhich eccentric is fastened a connecting-rod M, whereby one of thecylinder-valves is actuated. I am not confined to the form of governorherein mentioned, but may use any other form if I wish.

Below each cylinder is the valve and valvechamber belonging thereto.

In Fig. 5 the two cylinders, and also the two valve-boxes, are seen inend view, and also the steam-supply pipe N, with the valve a, is clearlyrepresented.

In Fig. 6 I have a cross-sectional view of the cylinders andvalve-cl1ambers, and in Fig. 4 I have a horizontal section of the,valves and valve-boxes.

0 denotes the valve-chamber belonging to cylinder E, and O thatbelonging to cylinder D. Valve-chamber 0 contains the pistonvalve OKValve-chamber 0 contains the piston-valve 0 To the piston-valve O isconnected the valve-rod P. 7 Valve 0 1s connected the valve-rod Steamenters the valve-chamber 0 from supply-pipe N in thedirection shown bythe. arrow in To the piston- Fig. at. Supposing now that valve 0' is inthe position shown in Fig. 4, the steam will pass into the steam channelor passage Z) near one end of the chamber and be conducted thereby upinto the cylinder E, where it will act upon the piston Etherein. Thesteam which is exhausting from cylinder E will pass back into thechamber 0 from said cylinder through passage 0 between the end of valve0 and end of valve-chamber O and pursue the direction. of the arrow intothe central chamber T. Of course when the piston O has been shifted andthe piston E is being driven inan opposite direction the supplysteamwill be carried into cylinder E through passage 0 and the exhaustthrough passage 1), which exhaust will likewise be carried around in thedirection of the arrow into the intermediate chamber between the twovalveboxes.

The central or intermediate chamber T is one of the important featuresof my present invention. It is of suitable size and shape and issituated between the valve-chambers O and O, which, as I have observed,are placed closely side by side. The exhauststeam from the high-pressurecylinder is discharged into the chamber T, from which the steam is thenfurnished to the low-pressure cylinder. This location of chamber T is ofgreat advantage, it has its side or wall T next to the high-pressurecylinder. (See Fi 4.) It is in contact at all times with the live steamfrom the boiler. Consequently this chamber has the same temperature asthe live steam, and so loss of heat or condensation from theexhaust-steam that enters the chamher is avoided. Then again the passagefor the steam is direct and short, thus making it possible to retain thesame pressure of the exhaust-steam when admitted to the lowpressurecylinder as when discharged from.

the high. It is usual in tandem engines and in other types of compoundengines to discharge the eXhaust-steam from the high-pressure cylinderthrough a receiver or pipe which connects said cylinder with thelow-pressure, said pipe being long and exposed to the atmosphereanarrangement which causesloss of heat and a reduction of thesteam-pressure, so that when the steam reaches the low.- pressurecylinder it has lost much of its effective power. By providing thecentral chamber, located as 1 have described and operating as set forth,I gain great advantage over the other forms of engine now in use andobviate the loss of power referred to.

From the chamber T the steam passes into the valve-box O, and if thepiston-valve O be in the position indicated in Figs. 1 and t the steamwill pass through the channel (1 up into cylinder D, while the exhaustfrom cylinder 1) will be conducted into box 0 'through passage e whenceit will pass out into the exhaust 0 through an exhaust-pipe provided forthe purpose. (See Fig.1.) \Vhen the piston-valve has been shifted, thesupply steam to the cylinder will pass through chann el 6 and theexhaust through channel d.

On the hub of the crank-disk or on the engine-shaft H is located asecond eccentric Q, and a connecting-rod M attached to this eccentric,is pivotally connected to the pin g, located in the slot f in the frameand fastened in the slide-bar h, which moves in suitable guides on theframe, (see Fig. 1,) the other end of the said pin g, which projectsfrom the other side of the slide-bar, being pivotally attached to thevalve-rod P, which is fastened to the piston-valve of the lowpressurecylinder and which operates. the same. The eccentric-rod M, connected tothe governor-eccentric, is connected to the crank e, fastened on journalcl, (see Fig. 3,) which has also the other downwardly-projectingcrank-arm c, to which is loosely connected the valve-rod P, connected toand actuating the piston-valve O in the chamber 0. Thus it will bemanifest that by placing two eccentrics upon the engineshaft andproviding the proper connections, as herein stated, the valves may beoperated independently. In Figs. 7 and S I have shown self-adjustin gpackin g-ri n gs and their arrangement with the piston-valve. Manyadvantages are to be gained by this use of the packing-rings, and theircombination with a piston-valve constitutes one of the features of myinvention. shaped. It is expansible under the action of the steam insuch a manner as not to produce any special Wear in the valve-chamber,and yet will at the same time make a perfectly steam-tight packing. Therings'are arranged in connection with the piston-valve, as shown in Fig.7. The pistonis provided at each end with two rings U. The piston isproperly grooved to receive said rings. As they are L- shaped, oneflange fits into the groove, while the other flange projects toward thepoint where the supply-steam enters the boX, said latter flanges beingslightly beveled, as shown. These rings pack the piston tightly. Betweenthe members of each pair of rings at either end of the piston is a loosering V, slipped on the end or head of the valve after the inner ring hasbeen put in place, and said rings V V are held in place by suitablebolts to u. These loose rings are necessary to serve as backings for theinner packing'rings. The mode of using the rings will be evident fromthe statement of their arrangement. The inn'er most ring U, at theright-hand end of the piston, for instance, is intended to hold thesteam until it reaches the adjacent port or passage, and then theoutermost ring will act to prevent steam from passing. This isthe reasonfor having two rings at each end, so that when one is over the port theother may do the work. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of the two steam-cylim U denotes one of these rings.It is L- ders located side by side, the valves for said cylinders, thegovernor-eccentric connected to one of the valve-rods through arocker-arm, and the second eccentric connected to the other valve-rod,so that the valves are operated independently, substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination of the high and low pressure steam-cylinders placedside by side, the valves therefor, having valve-rods, the en gine-shaft,the governor thereon, having an eccentric, the eccentric-rod connectedto said eccentric, and also to a rocker-arm with which one of thevalve-rods is connected, and the second eccentric on the engine-shaft,with its eccentric-rod connected to the other valverod, substantially asspecified.

3. The combination of thehigh and low pressure steam-cylinders placedside by side, the two valve-chambers likewise side by side and adjacentto the cylinders, the hollow pistonvalves within said chambers, and theintermediate steam-chamber between the valvechamb'ers, said intermediatechamber having its wall exposed to the live steam, substantially asdescribed.

The combination of the high and low pressure cylinders placed side byside, the two valve-chambers likewise side by side and adjacent to thecylinders and having suitable interior steam-passages communicating withsaid cylinders, the hollow piston valves within the valve-chambers, thesteam-supply pipe entering the high-pressure valve-chamber, and theintermediate chamber between the valve-chambers, having its wall nextthe high-pressure valve-chamber exposed to the live steam, substantiallyas described.

5. The combination of the high-pressure cylinder E and low pressurecylinder D, placed side by side, the valve-chamber O for cylinder E,containing the hollow pistonvalve 0 and having steam-passages l7 and c,the Valve-chamber O for the cylinder D, containing piston-valve O andhaving steampassages cl and 6 the steam-supply pipe N, entering the high-pressure valve-chamber, and the intermediate chamber T between thevalve-chambers, having its wall T exposed to the live steam,substantially as described.

6. The combination of the steam-cylinders, the valve-boxes and theirhollow pistonvalves, the steam-supply pipe entering the high-pressurevalve-chamber, and the central chamber having its wall next thehigh-press ure valvechamber exposed to the live steam, together with theports and passages, as specified.

7. The combination of the steam-cylinders, the valves therefor, havingValve-rods P and P, the governor on the engine-shaft, having eccentricL, the eccentricrod M, with its rocker'arm connections for operatingvalverod P, and the second eccentric Q and eccentric-rod M',with itsconnections, for operating the valve-rod P, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with a valve-chamber and a piston-valve therein, ofself-adj usting L-shaped packing-rings arranged in connection with saidpiston-valve, as specified.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT M. BECK. \Vitnesses:

JOHN HELLER,

D. K. WUNDERLICH.

